Secret claim first title at PVP Esports Championship

Team Secret edged out Fnatic 3:2 to claim the first LAN trophy and the title at PVP Esports Championship LAN in Singapore.

The first LAN event of the new year was a relatively quiet affair for most of the world. In Singapore, at the Suntec Convention Center, it was a whole other story. Local teams from the SEA region were competing with some of the biggest names in the world during the first big event. Nine teams went head to head in the group stage, but only four teams advanced to the playoffs — Team Secret, Fnatic, PSG.LGD and Team Admiral.

Although Team Secret and Fnatic were in the same group together, they both managed to come out for the playoffs and both swept through their opponents on opposite sides of the brackets. Heading into the grand finals, fans thought Fnatic had the edge, already beating out Team Secret in their match up in groups.

As the teams locked horns, it took a full five game series to determine the champions as the games swung back and forth between the two evenly matched squads. It was the final 27 minute game with flawless performances by Michał 'Nisha' Jankowski on Medusa and Yazied 'YapzOr' Jaradat on Winter Wyvren that demolished the SEA squad.

In the post TI shuffle, Team Secret replaced Fata with Ludwig 'Zai' Wahlberg who made his return not only to the offlane role, but also to the organization. Zai was part of the lineup in 2015 from January through TI5 when he then returned to Evil Geniuses. Michał 'Nisha' Jankowski, the Polish carry sensation replaced Marcus "Ace" Hoelgaard.

Since their formation, the team has been in top shape, taking a spot in The Kuala Lumpur Major set for next month. They will be appearing at ESL One Hamburg 2018 in just a few weeks and fans can look forward to another hopefully spectacular showing with the new lineup then.